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US Reps such as Ayanna Pressley and Grace Meng are pushing Congress to lower the voting age to 16. They both recognize the civic mindedness and activism of today’s youth and believe that they deserve the right to vote. Nonprofit organizations such as Generation Vote and the National Youth Rights Association support this cause, aiming towards a society that is inclusive to the voices of the youth.

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Democrats are pushing for 16 year olds to be heard at the ballot box. They argue that many already work, pay their own taxes, and drive by this age, making them active members of the community. Many of them also openly advocate for and enthusiastically raise awareness for relevant issues. Meanwhile, Republicans are opposed to this deal, labeling 16 year olds as immature children that still have poor judgement and need more guidance.

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Concern for our nation since it’s been brought up to Congress.

The age eligibility to vote is now being debated in Congress.

States like California are even being criticized for having barriers that discourage civic engagement amongst the youth and policies that make pre registration/registration less accessible for high school students.

While everyone can agree that civic education and mindedness should be encouraged amongst the youth, many debate upon whether or not they should have a place at the ballot box.

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July 1, 1971

26th amendment was ratified

Voting age was lowered from 21 to 18.

Response to criticism that those old enough to be drafted for military service, should be allowed to vote.

Congress lowered the voting age as a part of the Voting Rights Act of 1970.

Delegates reference to this.

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AB 773

2019 bill

Mandatory for public high schools to aid students for pre registration and registration to vote.

Requires schools to educate students about the voting process.

Potentially increase interest and participation towards our nation’s democracy.

Incline more high school students to expand their civic knowledge and vote.

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January 3, 2019

John Sarbanes first introduced the HR1, For the People Act.

Aims to expand voting rights.

https://sarbanes.house.gov/issues/hr-1-the-for-the-people-act

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A lower voting age would focus attention on issues of particular interests to young adults.

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Today’s youth display civic mindedness and activism in issues that affect their nation and themselves.

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"‘Our young people, including 16- and 17-year-olds, continue to fight and advocate for so many issues that they are passionate about from gun safety to the climate crisis,' said Congresswoman Meng. ‘They have been tremendously engaged on policies affecting their lives and their futures. Their activism, determination, and efforts to demand change are inspirational and have truly impacted our nation. It's time to give them a voice in our democracy by permitting them to be heard at the ballot box. 16- and 17-year-olds are legally permitted to work and drive. They also pay federal income taxes. I believe that it is right and fair to also allow them to vote. Let's let them be heard and make their voices count. Let's give them a say in choosing who they want their government representatives to be. I'm proud to stand with our young people in introducing this legislation, and I urge my colleagues in the House to support it.’” (Rep. Meng Reintroduces Legislation to Lower the Voting Age in…, 2021, Pg. #1).

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The government’s decisions mostly affect the youth since they still have a whole lifetime ahead of them. They are also subject to taxation without representation. They join the workforce, pay taxes, and are active members of the community, yet they are still denied the right to vote.

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"’When the government makes decisions about education, the environment, and war and peace, young people are affected for more years of their lives than any other age demographic. They work and are subject to taxation without representation: income tax, sales tax, payroll taxes, and more. In Scotland, Brazil, Austria, and Argentina, 16-year-olds have shown that they're ready to vote and deserve to shape their own futures. The United States should continue its democratic tradition of extending voting rights. Thank you Representative Meng for your leadership on this issue in Congress!’” (Rep. Meng Reintroduces Legislation to Lower the Voting Age in…, 2021, Pgs. 2-3).

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At 16, children are too immature to vote.

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Voting is an adult’s responsibility that shouldn’t be entrusted to children that still require guidance.

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“Foisting an adult responsibility on children still in formation is an immature attempt to seem relevant. Young people need our guidance--not the burden of governance.” (Fortenberry, 2021, Pg. #2).

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16 year olds still lack the ability to make mature and educated choices.

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"’Often the objection is simply that 16-year-olds are too young to exercise good judgment. This is really a patronizing thought.’" (Hughes, 2021, Pg. #2).

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Why is social reform such a difficult thing to accomplish?

Research revealed...
Social reform is not easy to accomplish, especially through legislature, since the objective has to be passed by congress. In addition to that, it might take a while for the reform to be normalized in society (Source #5).

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https://static.timesofisrael.com/www/uploads/2019/09/Untitled-2-6.jpg

https://africanarguments.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/waithood.jpg

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2019/09/20/climate/20cli-protests-slide-XMBG/20cli-protests-slide-XMBG-facebookJumbo.jpg?year=2019&h=550&w=1050&s=52150d1a0c93daa428664a890bb118e93a5b575adb1709d9c499d5550ec010da&k=ZQJBKqZ0VN

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Lowering the voting age to 16 in the federal level would be a progressive move for a variety of reasons. First off, this will strengthen our democracy by allowing more voices to be heard. Today’s youth already display civic mindedness and activism in issues that affect them and our nation. In addition to that, they grew up with easy access to the internet, which allows them to stay updated first and acts as a great educational tool for politics. Extending the voting right to them will incline them to utilize this tool and further engage themselves with issues that can affect them, knowing they have been entrusted with the right to vote. This will also prompt schools to strengthen civic education, acting as another strong resource for the youth to rely on. Some may argue that the youth still require guidance from adults. However, the interests of the youth are often dismissed by adults and therefore, are not reflected in the ballot, which brings me to my next point.

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Most 16 year olds already have the partial life of an adult; they’re part of the workforce, drive, and pay their own taxes. This means that they are even subject to taxation without representation. In addition to that, modern society deems to be the most demanding to young people today than they ever have been in the past. The age of 18 may be considered the adult age, but most teens have already been exposed to the real world before then, pushing them to mature and think like an adult much earlier.

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Lastly, the youth are expected to lead with a brighter future but are denied the basic right of voting. We do more than enough to raise awareness and advocate for many different social issues. The government needs to start recognizing the competence of the youth given that they are still US citizens. The federal government needs to exert more effort in reaching out to younger people. Overall, lowering the voting age to 16 will push more young adults to be informed citizens and active members of society.

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Consult a teacher and discuss my objective.

Ask for support.

Start a club for civic minded students with supervision from supporting teacher(s).

Advertise.

Have constructive discussions.

Topics can include the importance of voting and why the voting age should be lowered to 16.

Start a proposal to be signed by teacher(s) and club members.

Extend the proposal to other teachers and students.

Can be done during class, recess, and lunch time.

Reach out to local legislature with support from teachers and other school officials.

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My research provided statistics and valid arguments that show 16-17 year olds are just as competent as adults are and deserve the right to be represented in our democracy.

e.g:
“In Takoma Park, Maryland, the first election where young adults could vote resulted in the highest voter turnout from 16- and 17-year-olds" (Source #1).

“Studies in Austria (where the minimum voting age is 16) have shown that 16- to 17-year-olds vote just as responsibly as any other constituent" (Source #1).

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Brill, L. and Shapiro, V. (2021, Feb 4). Why Georgia Beats California on the Youth Vote. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 22, 2021 from SIRS.

Fortenberry, J. (2021, March 6). Should 16-Year-Olds Vote?. Targeted News Service. Retrieved June 22, 2021 from SIRS.

Frantz, L., & Cochrane, C. (2021, March 12). Lowering Voting Age Will Give More Stakeholders a Say in Democracy. Portland Press Herald. Retrieved June 16, 2021 from SIRS.

HR1, the For the People Act. Sarbanes House. Retrieved June 22, 2021 from https://sarbanes.house.gov/issues/hr-1-the-for-the-people-act.

Hughes, S. (2021, March 3). House Defeats Effort to Expand Voting to 16-Year-Olds. Wall Street Journal Online. Retrieved June 22, 2021 from SIRS.

(2021, Feb 5). Rep. Meng Reintroduces Legislation to Lower the Voting Age in... Targeted News Service. Retrieved June 17, 2021 from SIRS.

The 26th Amendment. History House. Retrieved June 23, 2021 from https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1951-2000/The-26th-Amendment/.

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To what extent are the voices of youth heard today?

Research revealed...
Young people have the right to freedom of speech. This means they can actively lead protests and fight for what they believe in. They are encouraged to be civic minded as well, but that’s as far as it can get before the age of 18 (Source #4).

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